Steve Harmison appeared keen to make a point to England after being sent back to county cricket today.

The Durham paceman was released by England on the morning of the second Test against Australia at Lord’s and travelled straight to Trent Bridge to join his county colleagues facing Nottinghamshire.

Steve Harmison

He entered the fray after lunch on the second day and made an immediate impact by sending down a fiery first spell of 8-7-1-1.

His efforts helped reduce Notts to 54 for five and, after a mini-recovery from captain Chris Read (48) and Ali Brown (36), finish them off in their first innings for 171, 185 behind. Liam Plunkett actually finished the pick of the bowling with four for 56 while Ian Blackwell took three for six.

Earlier, Durham’s last five wickets added 99 to their overnight total with Harmison’s England colleague Ryan Sidebottom claiming four for 65.

Another player not to make England’s final XI, Ian Bell, hit a century as Warwickshire made a superb start against Lancashire at Edgbaston.

Tony Frost fell with only two runs on the board as play finally began after a washed-out first day but after that it was almost all Warwickshire as Bell (106) and Ian Westwood (60) put on 130.

Oliver Newby removed Bell just before tea but Lancashire endured a largely fruitless day with Jonathan Trott adding an unbeaten 69 before Warwickshire closed on 256 for four. At Arundel, Michael Carberry hit 112 as Hampshire made a positive start in reply to Sussex’s 441.

Carberry put on 107 with Jimmy Adams (33) and 76 with Michael Lumb (38 not out) as Hampshire reached 213 for two at stumps.

Luke Wright was the mainstay of the Sussex innings, moving from his overnight 53 to a 165-ball 104, which included four sixes. Wright put on 85 for the eighth wicket with Oli Rayner (60) before Imran Tahir (five for 140) finished off the innings.